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Daniel Faust #7.1
Full Metal Magic
9 NY Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling Authors
9 original tales of magic, mayhem, mystery, and adventure.
The ULTIMATE Urban Fantasy Boxed Set!
Yours for an insanely low price.
This Urban Fantasy collection will bring you face to face with unique characters, alternate worlds where magic is commonplace, and things that really do go bump in the night.
Journey from Las Vegas to Wales and everywhere in between to face off against witches, shapeshifters, mercenaries, bounty hunters, zombies, and even a few gods.
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - Mac Brennan just wanted to take his girlfriend to the fair, but the Bull Demon King had other plans...
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - Cisco Suarez is dragged to the depths of the underground Miami nightlife, where seekers of arcane knowledge may just get their wish.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - Halloween in Manhattan gets weirder than usual for Gideon Black, who finds himself up against a powerful necromancer looking to raise a lot more than the dead.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen - Demon-hearted brawler Lucian Colt prepares to trace a human trafficking operation to its fountainhead. But will he and his teammates prove a match for what awaits them in the seedy stretch of Hard Row?
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - When an old vampire "buddy" calls you in the middle of the night, and asks for a favor, hang up on the them and stay the hell in bed. I was stupid. I got dressed, and nearly got dead soon after.
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Sorcerer Sebastian Light expects his first day as a demon hunter to go off without a hitch, but sometimes family issues are harder to slay than even the surliest of goblins.
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - As violence breaks out and people start dying, only Yancy Lazarus—bluesman, gambler, mage, and former wet-works man—can put things right. Well, he can try …
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - For Daniel Faust, driving a condemned man to his death dredges up old memories and old ghosts. You can't outrun the past.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - New York’s sewers are infested with gators. As Ace Dante investigates, it becomes clear there’s something far worse beneath the streets, and it’s out for revenge.
9 original tales of magic, mayhem, mystery, and adventure.
The ULTIMATE Urban Fantasy Boxed Set!
Yours for an insanely low price.
This Urban Fantasy collection will bring you face to face with unique characters, alternate worlds where magic is commonplace, and things that really do go bump in the night.
Journey from Las Vegas to Wales and everywhere in between to face off against witches, shapeshifters, mercenaries, bounty hunters, zombies, and even a few gods.
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - Mac Brennan just wanted to take his girlfriend to the fair, but the Bull Demon King had other plans...
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - Cisco Suarez is dragged to the depths of the underground Miami nightlife, where seekers of arcane knowledge may just get their wish.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - Halloween in Manhattan gets weirder than usual for Gideon Black, who finds himself up against a powerful necromancer looking to raise a lot more than the dead.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen - Demon-hearted brawler Lucian Colt prepares to trace a human trafficking operation to its fountainhead. But will he and his teammates prove a match for what awaits them in the seedy stretch of Hard Row?
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - When an old vampire "buddy" calls you in the middle of the night, and asks for a favor, hang up on the them and stay the hell in bed. I was stupid. I got dressed, and nearly got dead soon after.
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Sorcerer Sebastian Light expects his first day as a demon hunter to go off without a hitch, but sometimes family issues are harder to slay than even the surliest of goblins.
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - As violence breaks out and people start dying, only Yancy Lazarus—bluesman, gambler, mage, and former wet-works man—can put things right. Well, he can try …
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - For Daniel Faust, driving a condemned man to his death dredges up old memories and old ghosts. You can't outrun the past.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - New York’s sewers are infested with gators. As Ace Dante investigates, it becomes clear there’s something far worse beneath the streets, and it’s out for revenge.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2016
45 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Cipriano
92 books585 followersWhen New York Times Bestselling author, J. A. Cipriano was in second grade, his teacher gave everyone in class a journal to write down whatever they wanted. Their first subject was to write about something they didn’t like. J. A. chose to write about why he didn’t like writing. His reasoning was simple. He had bad handwriting. Even then, he was destined to be an engineer due to his messy scrawl.
Unfortunately, he found through the course of this little adventure that he actually liked writing. That year was sort of the high point for his writing career because he won a writing contest for the state. He got to go to a big dinner and his teacher was all dressed up.
He kept writing little stories, year after year, and in sixth grade, won another contest. In seventh grade, he broke his arm and got the cast signed by both Dean Koontz and Stan Lee. It is, by far, the coolest cast he’s owned. That was about the time he found video games and anime. His writing turned mostly toward fanfiction until about ninth grade when he wrote his first novel, a small book about twenty thousand words called Revelations. In sophomore year, he wrote two more books to complete the trilogy because he saw Star Wars that year and learned trilogies were the cool thing to do.
He rewrote Revelations during his senior year, and his wife swears it is the best thing he’s written. J.A. is not so sure. Every time he reads it, he cringes, but then again, he hates everything he writes, so there is that.
It was about that time, he got heavily involved in a fanfiction writing group, but that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It was a world based on a popular anime but everything was created especially for this world. It made it so that every story someone wrote was unique.
Imagine writing a Star Wars novel set 1,000 years after A New Hope, where everything that happened was a distant memory and you get the idea. You have the force, some distant memories of the past, and that’s pretty much it.
He wrote about a million words (863K to be exact) for them before he decided to do his own thing. He wrote another novel. He put it in a drawer. He wrote another one that eventually became the basis for The Hatter is Mad. His next novel was Kill It With Magic, his first real novel. It’s not bad, but it’s bumpy. This is unfortunate because the books get loads better as the series progresses.
Since then, he’s written six more novels, four of which are in the Lillim Callina Series, and one in the Abby Banks series. The other is stuck in a drawer for time undetermined. He’s writing his next book now which is about werewolves fighting mummies in Ancient Egypt. After that, he will move onto Abby Banks 2. The Spy Within will come out in June or July.
J.A. also has three chinchillas. Two of them are grey, and because of this, they are named Slate and Cadmium. The third is named Jet because he’s black, and Jet is old English for black. See, creative. He also has a cat named Turtle. This does pose problems for his two-year-old from time to time.
Unfortunately, he found through the course of this little adventure that he actually liked writing. That year was sort of the high point for his writing career because he won a writing contest for the state. He got to go to a big dinner and his teacher was all dressed up.
He kept writing little stories, year after year, and in sixth grade, won another contest. In seventh grade, he broke his arm and got the cast signed by both Dean Koontz and Stan Lee. It is, by far, the coolest cast he’s owned. That was about the time he found video games and anime. His writing turned mostly toward fanfiction until about ninth grade when he wrote his first novel, a small book about twenty thousand words called Revelations. In sophomore year, he wrote two more books to complete the trilogy because he saw Star Wars that year and learned trilogies were the cool thing to do.
He rewrote Revelations during his senior year, and his wife swears it is the best thing he’s written. J.A. is not so sure. Every time he reads it, he cringes, but then again, he hates everything he writes, so there is that.
It was about that time, he got heavily involved in a fanfiction writing group, but that isn’t one hundred percent accurate. It was a world based on a popular anime but everything was created especially for this world. It made it so that every story someone wrote was unique.
Imagine writing a Star Wars novel set 1,000 years after A New Hope, where everything that happened was a distant memory and you get the idea. You have the force, some distant memories of the past, and that’s pretty much it.
He wrote about a million words (863K to be exact) for them before he decided to do his own thing. He wrote another novel. He put it in a drawer. He wrote another one that eventually became the basis for The Hatter is Mad. His next novel was Kill It With Magic, his first real novel. It’s not bad, but it’s bumpy. This is unfortunate because the books get loads better as the series progresses.
Since then, he’s written six more novels, four of which are in the Lillim Callina Series, and one in the Abby Banks series. The other is stuck in a drawer for time undetermined. He’s writing his next book now which is about werewolves fighting mummies in Ancient Egypt. After that, he will move onto Abby Banks 2. The Spy Within will come out in June or July.
J.A. also has three chinchillas. Two of them are grey, and because of this, they are named Slate and Cadmium. The third is named Jet because he’s black, and Jet is old English for black. See, creative. He also has a cat named Turtle. This does pose problems for his two-year-old from time to time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 12, 2024
Disclaimer: there are nine short stories in this collection. I only read two of them. Pippa DaCosta's and Craig Schaefer's. Because I'm disgustingly selective and stuff. And because DUH.
➽ Chase the Dark by Pippa DaCosta: 5 stars. Surprise, surprise.
This is an awesome short story from the awesome Soul Eater series. Please don't tell me you've never heard of it. No, really, even if that's the case, you do not want to tell me about it. Because if you do, I will have to unleash the murderous crustaceans on you. And believe me, you do not want me to do that.
But anyway.
✎ Question: how can you go wrong with…
➼ Severed body parts, aka yum yum yum.
➼ Ace Dante, High Security Harem Top Notch Material (HSHTNM™), slightly conflicted Soul Eater, and, alternatively, "Osiris' little bitch."
➼ Shu, Ace's Somewhat Reluctant Kind of Awesome Demon Sidekick (SRKoADS™), who will gladly eat your tongue if don't shut the shrimp up.
➼ Sobek, aka the "prehistoric asshole," aka yet another delightfully sociopathic, deliciously batshit crazy Egyptian god.
➼ New York sewers and "rabid, magically enhanced Nile crocs."
✎ Answer: you can't. Especially if your name is Awesome Pippa DaCosta is Awesome (APDCiA™). Because that means you're awesome and failproof and can do no wrong and stuff.
» And the moral of this Super Short Non Review Thingie (SSNRT™) is: I rest my case and QED. And stuff. Ha.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
· Book 1: Hidden Blade ★★★★★
· Book 2: Witches' Banes ★★★★★
· Book 3: See No Evil ★★★★★
· Book 4: Scorpion Trap ★★★★★
· Book 5: Serpent's Game ★★★★★
· Book 6: Edge of Forever ★★★★★
➽ A Drive in the Country by Craig Schaefer: 4 stars. I know, I know, only 4 stars. What can I say? This one sucked big time.
This is an awesome short story from the awesome Daniel Faust series. You know how this goes, right? Do not tell me you've never heard of it, blah blah blah, murderous crustaceans, blah blah blah, you do not want to do that, blah blah blah.
Moving on.
✎ Question : my Danny Boy, aka Book Boyfriend #1, aka my High Security Harem's Undisputed Unequalled Irreplaceable King (HSHUUIK™) asks you to go on a country drive with him. What do you do?
a) Decline because you know if you accept I will unleash the murderous crustaceans on you. Which, in all likeliness, will result in your dying a slightly slow, kind of horrible, somewhat painful ☠ death ☠.
b) Decline because you have a bad back, and therefore will not be able to put your Magnificent Own-Grave Digging Skills (MOGDS™) to good use. Such a shame.
c) Decline because yousmell something decidedly fishy in the air have an important doctor's appointment you just cannot miss. About your bad back. Obviously.
d) Decline because MY Danny Boy can display Mad Homicidal Maniac Skills (MHMS™). Sometimes. Like, when you screw with him or his Family of Dubious Morals (FoDM™).
e) Decline. Because all of the above.
Perplexing, isn't it? Come on, my Little Barnacles, putyour two all your grey cells together and think! Yeah, I know, it's a tough one. Arduous Decision Time (ADT™) and stuff. So? What will it be? No need to rush, take your time. Okay, don't take too long to answer, either. It's not like I have all day. Things to do, exasperating nitwits to annihilate places to go and all that crap. So? What's your pick? Answer e? Good choice! Now you might just live another day. Maybe. Who knows. The murderous crustaceans are getting restless. Not sure I can hold them back much longer.
· Book 1: The Long Way Down ★★★★
· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★
· Book 5: The Killing Floor Blues ★★★★★
· Book 6: The Castle Doctrine ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Locust Job ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Monday morning maths :
If
a =there is a freaking Pippa DaCosta ARC in your inbox today is your day off.
and
b =there is a freaking Pippa DaCosta ARC in your inbox there are only 27 days left before you get a three-month holiday.
and
c =there is a freaking Pippa DaCosta ARC in your inbox there is a freaking Pippa DaCosta/Ace Dante is Mine (ADiM™) ARC in your inbox.
and
d =there is a freaking Pippa DaCostaARC in your inbox the freaking Pippa DaCosta/Ace Dante is Mine (ADiM™) ARC also contains a freaking Craig Schaefer/Daniel Faust is MINE (DFiM™) ARC.
then
a + b + +c + d =
and also:
and also also:
and also also also:
Obviously.
Thank you, Pippa, you just killed me dead.
➽ Chase the Dark by Pippa DaCosta: 5 stars. Surprise, surprise.
This is an awesome short story from the awesome Soul Eater series. Please don't tell me you've never heard of it. No, really, even if that's the case, you do not want to tell me about it. Because if you do, I will have to unleash the murderous crustaceans on you. And believe me, you do not want me to do that.
But anyway.
✎ Question: how can you go wrong with…
➼ Severed body parts, aka yum yum yum.
➼ Ace Dante, High Security Harem Top Notch Material (HSHTNM™), slightly conflicted Soul Eater, and, alternatively, "Osiris' little bitch."
➼ Shu, Ace's Somewhat Reluctant Kind of Awesome Demon Sidekick (SRKoADS™), who will gladly eat your tongue if don't shut the shrimp up.
➼ Sobek, aka the "prehistoric asshole," aka yet another delightfully sociopathic, deliciously batshit crazy Egyptian god.
➼ New York sewers and "rabid, magically enhanced Nile crocs."
✎ Answer: you can't. Especially if your name is Awesome Pippa DaCosta is Awesome (APDCiA™). Because that means you're awesome and failproof and can do no wrong and stuff.
» And the moral of this Super Short Non Review Thingie (SSNRT™) is: I rest my case and QED. And stuff. Ha.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
· Book 1: Hidden Blade ★★★★★
· Book 2: Witches' Banes ★★★★★
· Book 3: See No Evil ★★★★★
· Book 4: Scorpion Trap ★★★★★
· Book 5: Serpent's Game ★★★★★
· Book 6: Edge of Forever ★★★★★
➽ A Drive in the Country by Craig Schaefer: 4 stars. I know, I know, only 4 stars. What can I say? This one sucked big time.
This is an awesome short story from the awesome Daniel Faust series. You know how this goes, right? Do not tell me you've never heard of it, blah blah blah, murderous crustaceans, blah blah blah, you do not want to do that, blah blah blah.
Moving on.
✎ Question : my Danny Boy, aka Book Boyfriend #1, aka my High Security Harem's Undisputed Unequalled Irreplaceable King (HSHUUIK™) asks you to go on a country drive with him. What do you do?
a) Decline because you know if you accept I will unleash the murderous crustaceans on you. Which, in all likeliness, will result in your dying a slightly slow, kind of horrible, somewhat painful ☠ death ☠.
b) Decline because you have a bad back, and therefore will not be able to put your Magnificent Own-Grave Digging Skills (MOGDS™) to good use. Such a shame.
c) Decline because you
d) Decline because MY Danny Boy can display Mad Homicidal Maniac Skills (MHMS™). Sometimes. Like, when you screw with him or his Family of Dubious Morals (FoDM™).
e) Decline. Because all of the above.
Perplexing, isn't it? Come on, my Little Barnacles, put
· Book 1: The Long Way Down ★★★★
· Book 1.5: The White Gold Score ★★★★★
· Book 2: Redemption Song ★★★★
· Book 3: The Living End ★★★★★
· Book 4: A Plain-Dealing Villain ★★★★
· Book 5: The Killing Floor Blues ★★★★★
· Book 6: The Castle Doctrine ★★★★★
· Book 6.1: Sweet, Blissful Certainty ★★★
· Book 7: Double or Nothing ★★★★★
· Book 7.2: Sixty Six Seconds ★★★★
· Book 8: The Neon Boneyard ★★★★★
· Book 9: The Locust Job ★★★★★
· Book 10: Down Among the Dead Men ★★★★★
· Book 11: Dig Two Graves ★★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Monday morning maths :
If
a =
and
b =
and
c =
and
d =
then
a + b + +c + d =
and also:
and also also:
and also also also:
Obviously.
Thank you, Pippa, you just killed me dead.
October 20, 2016
Anthologies like Full Metal Magic can be a great way to try out a whole bunch of new authors and potentially add a huge number of books to your to read pile (you'll probably find yourself hooked on 9 new series by the end of this one so be warned LOL!). My main reason for wanting to read this anthology was for the Soul Eater short story by Pippa DaCosta, she's the only one of the authors that I'd read before and I'm a huge fan of her work so I'd recommend this book for that story alone but I was excited to have the chance to try out so many new authors too.
Overall this anthology includes a great mix of different supernatural creatures and magical abilities, the stories are varied and fun and it's ideal to dip in and out of because you can easily finish each one in a single sitting even if you don't have much time free. At the current price (£0.99/$0.99) it's a total bargain and a great way to test out a whole bunch of authors to decide which series you're interested in continuing.
I'm including the official blurb for each short story below followed by my thoughts about them all just to give you a bit more information about what to expect from the anthology:
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - Mac Brennan just wanted to take his girlfriend to the fair, but the Bull Demon King had other plans...
This is part of the Thrice Cursed Mage series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. This is a fast paced short story with plenty of action but I have to admit I didn't love Mac's voice. He goes on and on about how hot is girlfriend Ricky is but seems to think the fact that she's a werewolf who is the alpha of the entire state is hardly worth mentioning. The banter between them was missing something and I'm not sure if they're in a new relationship but they hardly seem to know each other and I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. This wasn't bad for a short story and I'll still try the series at some point (especially since I already own the first book) but it didn't leave me desperate for more.
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - Cisco Suarez is dragged to the depths of the underground Miami nightlife, where seekers of arcane knowledge may just get their wish.
Part of the Black Magic Outlaw series, again no idea where it fits in the timeline. I enjoyed this story much more than the first one, mainly because I really liked Cisco's voice. This story was cleverly plotted with a nice twist that I didn't see coming (it may have been more obvious if I was familiar with the series but it was still cleverly done) and it definitely left me wanting to read more in this world.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - Halloween in Manhattan gets weirder than usual for Gideon Black, who finds himself up against a powerful necromancer looking to raise a lot more than the dead.
This is part of the DeathSpeaker Codex and takes place just after events in book 1, Wrong Side of Hell. Gideon is fairly new to the supernatural world, he only found out about his half-fae heritage recently and is still learning to use his rare ability as a DeathSpeaker but he puts it to good use in this short story when he comes up against a necromancer. This was a fun Halloween themed story and it added another series to my wish list.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen - Demon-hearted brawler Lucian Colt prepares to trace a human trafficking operation to its fountainhead. But will he and his teammates prove a match for what awaits them in the seedy stretch of Hard Row?
Part of the Demon-Hearted series but where it fits into the timeline is unknown. This was another story I enjoyed enough to want to carry on reading the series (this anthology really was bad for my poor to be read mountain!). Lucian was an interesting character, he was given a demon heart in a transplant after being attacked by witches and it's given him some unusual abilities that he puts to use working for a supernatural type of police agency. This story sees him go up against werewolves who have been trafficking children to the underworld.
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - When an old vampire "buddy" calls you in the middle of the night, and asks for a favor, hang up on the them and stay the hell in bed. I was stupid. I got dressed, and nearly got dead soon after.
Part of the Dark Magic Enforcer series but again I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. Unfortunately this was my least favourite story in the anthology, it's probably a personal thing but I just really didn't like the fat-shaming that was going on. The main character Faz gets a call from an old friend who is in some kind of trouble, from the beginning we're told how fat his friend is and how weird that is for a vampire since they normally look after themselves. Then we get a lot of awful descriptions of the friend's floppy skin because he's lost a lot of weight in a short space of time (thanks to being cursed) and finally the friend recovers and we're supposed to be amused that he's now ginormous again. Like I said that's probably a personal issue that might not bother other readers as much but frankly I found it offensive and it doesn't leave me with much interest in reading more from this author.
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Sorcerer Sebastian Light expects his first day as a demon hunter to go off without a hitch, but sometimes family issues are harder to slay than even the surliest of goblins.
This is part of the Unturned series, I think it's a prequel but I can't be 100% certain of that. Sebastian is a sorcerer who has only just got his demon hunting license but his first day on the job definitely doesn't go to plan when he realises his target might not be guilty of committing all the crimes he has been accused of. The real question is should Sebastian just blindly follow orders or should he trust his gut and go with his instincts? I think this was probably the funniest story in the anthology and it definitely left me wanting more.
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - As violence breaks out and people start dying, only Yancy Lazarus--bluesman, gambler, mage, and former wet-works man--can put things right. Well, he can try...
Part of the Yancy Lazarus series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. This was a retelling of the Pied Piper which was unusual and made it memorable. It wasn't quite long enough for me to get to know the main character very well but I like what I've seen so far and wouldn't mind carrying on with the series.
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - For Daniel Faust, driving a condemned man to his death dredges up old memories and old ghosts. You can't outrun the past.
Part of the Daniel Faust series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. I have a lot of friends who love this series so apart from Pippa's story this was probably the one I was most interested in reading. I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype and I'm happy to say that it did and it's made me more eager than ever to read the rest of the series. I have a feeling I'm going to love Daniel, I definitely loved the story he told here and the way he got his revenge on someone from his past.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - New York's sewers are infested with gators. As Ace Dante investigates, it becomes clear there's something far worse beneath the streets, and it's out for revenge.
Part of the Soul Eaters series, will work well as an introduction to the series but technically fits into the timeline after the second book, Witches' Bane. Obviously this story was the whole reason I wanted to read the Full Metal Magic anthology. I absolutely love this series, it's full of crazy Egyptian Gods roaming modern day New York and causing mayhem for poor Ace wherever they go. This story introduces us to Sobek, the Egyptian God of Crocodiles (among other things) and he's been rather busy in the sewer system underneath Manhattan creating a hoard of mutant crocodiles that he's planning to unleash aboveground. It's up to Ace, and his trusty demon sidekick Shu, to try and stop him but Sobek and Ace have history and things are about to get complicated. Another fantastic story from Pippa, definitely my favourite of the anthology (no surprise there!) and it's left me eagerly waiting for the next instalment of the Soul Eaters series.
Source: Received from Pippa DaCosta in exchange for an honest review
________________
Thoughts before reading:
A new ARC from Pippa - with a SOUL EATER short story!! My week has been made. Throw in 8 other stories from new (to me) urban fantasy writers and I'm going to be in heaven. I'm a little concerned my TBR pile might just explode from all the new series I'll be adding to it soon but too many books is a problem I'm happy to live with LOL
Overall this anthology includes a great mix of different supernatural creatures and magical abilities, the stories are varied and fun and it's ideal to dip in and out of because you can easily finish each one in a single sitting even if you don't have much time free. At the current price (£0.99/$0.99) it's a total bargain and a great way to test out a whole bunch of authors to decide which series you're interested in continuing.
I'm including the official blurb for each short story below followed by my thoughts about them all just to give you a bit more information about what to expect from the anthology:
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - Mac Brennan just wanted to take his girlfriend to the fair, but the Bull Demon King had other plans...
This is part of the Thrice Cursed Mage series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. This is a fast paced short story with plenty of action but I have to admit I didn't love Mac's voice. He goes on and on about how hot is girlfriend Ricky is but seems to think the fact that she's a werewolf who is the alpha of the entire state is hardly worth mentioning. The banter between them was missing something and I'm not sure if they're in a new relationship but they hardly seem to know each other and I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. This wasn't bad for a short story and I'll still try the series at some point (especially since I already own the first book) but it didn't leave me desperate for more.
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - Cisco Suarez is dragged to the depths of the underground Miami nightlife, where seekers of arcane knowledge may just get their wish.
Part of the Black Magic Outlaw series, again no idea where it fits in the timeline. I enjoyed this story much more than the first one, mainly because I really liked Cisco's voice. This story was cleverly plotted with a nice twist that I didn't see coming (it may have been more obvious if I was familiar with the series but it was still cleverly done) and it definitely left me wanting to read more in this world.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - Halloween in Manhattan gets weirder than usual for Gideon Black, who finds himself up against a powerful necromancer looking to raise a lot more than the dead.
This is part of the DeathSpeaker Codex and takes place just after events in book 1, Wrong Side of Hell. Gideon is fairly new to the supernatural world, he only found out about his half-fae heritage recently and is still learning to use his rare ability as a DeathSpeaker but he puts it to good use in this short story when he comes up against a necromancer. This was a fun Halloween themed story and it added another series to my wish list.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen - Demon-hearted brawler Lucian Colt prepares to trace a human trafficking operation to its fountainhead. But will he and his teammates prove a match for what awaits them in the seedy stretch of Hard Row?
Part of the Demon-Hearted series but where it fits into the timeline is unknown. This was another story I enjoyed enough to want to carry on reading the series (this anthology really was bad for my poor to be read mountain!). Lucian was an interesting character, he was given a demon heart in a transplant after being attacked by witches and it's given him some unusual abilities that he puts to use working for a supernatural type of police agency. This story sees him go up against werewolves who have been trafficking children to the underworld.
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - When an old vampire "buddy" calls you in the middle of the night, and asks for a favor, hang up on the them and stay the hell in bed. I was stupid. I got dressed, and nearly got dead soon after.
Part of the Dark Magic Enforcer series but again I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. Unfortunately this was my least favourite story in the anthology, it's probably a personal thing but I just really didn't like the fat-shaming that was going on. The main character Faz gets a call from an old friend who is in some kind of trouble, from the beginning we're told how fat his friend is and how weird that is for a vampire since they normally look after themselves. Then we get a lot of awful descriptions of the friend's floppy skin because he's lost a lot of weight in a short space of time (thanks to being cursed) and finally the friend recovers and we're supposed to be amused that he's now ginormous again. Like I said that's probably a personal issue that might not bother other readers as much but frankly I found it offensive and it doesn't leave me with much interest in reading more from this author.
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Sorcerer Sebastian Light expects his first day as a demon hunter to go off without a hitch, but sometimes family issues are harder to slay than even the surliest of goblins.
This is part of the Unturned series, I think it's a prequel but I can't be 100% certain of that. Sebastian is a sorcerer who has only just got his demon hunting license but his first day on the job definitely doesn't go to plan when he realises his target might not be guilty of committing all the crimes he has been accused of. The real question is should Sebastian just blindly follow orders or should he trust his gut and go with his instincts? I think this was probably the funniest story in the anthology and it definitely left me wanting more.
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - As violence breaks out and people start dying, only Yancy Lazarus--bluesman, gambler, mage, and former wet-works man--can put things right. Well, he can try...
Part of the Yancy Lazarus series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. This was a retelling of the Pied Piper which was unusual and made it memorable. It wasn't quite long enough for me to get to know the main character very well but I like what I've seen so far and wouldn't mind carrying on with the series.
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - For Daniel Faust, driving a condemned man to his death dredges up old memories and old ghosts. You can't outrun the past.
Part of the Daniel Faust series but I'm not sure where it fits into the timeline. I have a lot of friends who love this series so apart from Pippa's story this was probably the one I was most interested in reading. I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype and I'm happy to say that it did and it's made me more eager than ever to read the rest of the series. I have a feeling I'm going to love Daniel, I definitely loved the story he told here and the way he got his revenge on someone from his past.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - New York's sewers are infested with gators. As Ace Dante investigates, it becomes clear there's something far worse beneath the streets, and it's out for revenge.
Part of the Soul Eaters series, will work well as an introduction to the series but technically fits into the timeline after the second book, Witches' Bane. Obviously this story was the whole reason I wanted to read the Full Metal Magic anthology. I absolutely love this series, it's full of crazy Egyptian Gods roaming modern day New York and causing mayhem for poor Ace wherever they go. This story introduces us to Sobek, the Egyptian God of Crocodiles (among other things) and he's been rather busy in the sewer system underneath Manhattan creating a hoard of mutant crocodiles that he's planning to unleash aboveground. It's up to Ace, and his trusty demon sidekick Shu, to try and stop him but Sobek and Ace have history and things are about to get complicated. Another fantastic story from Pippa, definitely my favourite of the anthology (no surprise there!) and it's left me eagerly waiting for the next instalment of the Soul Eaters series.
Source: Received from Pippa DaCosta in exchange for an honest review
________________
Thoughts before reading:
A new ARC from Pippa - with a SOUL EATER short story!! My week has been made. Throw in 8 other stories from new (to me) urban fantasy writers and I'm going to be in heaven. I'm a little concerned my TBR pile might just explode from all the new series I'll be adding to it soon but too many books is a problem I'm happy to live with LOL
October 19, 2016
Full Metal Magic is a great little anthology of novellas from various authors, some of whom I'm familiar with, some with whom I'm not, and it was certainly a nice introduction to the unknown-to-me authors to get a little sampling of their work.
Being a huge fan of Pippa DaCosta, of course her story featuring Ace Dante was the highlight. But, also included is a short story by Sonya Bateman, another author I enjoy. I've had my eye on Craig Schaefer's books for quite some time, and based on his story in this anthology, I'm most definitely going to take the plunge and start his Daniel Faust series quite soon.
All in all, Full Metal Magic is a nice compilation of urban fantasy stories featuring various supernatural creatures and mythologies. If you've had your eye on any of these authors but have yet to read their full-length novels, the stories contained in this collection are a nice way to get introduced to their various characters and writing styles. Of course, being that the stories ARE short, they're lacking a little bit of depth, but that's to be expected from such short works.
**I received a free advanced copy, with no compensation, in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
Being a huge fan of Pippa DaCosta, of course her story featuring Ace Dante was the highlight. But, also included is a short story by Sonya Bateman, another author I enjoy. I've had my eye on Craig Schaefer's books for quite some time, and based on his story in this anthology, I'm most definitely going to take the plunge and start his Daniel Faust series quite soon.
All in all, Full Metal Magic is a nice compilation of urban fantasy stories featuring various supernatural creatures and mythologies. If you've had your eye on any of these authors but have yet to read their full-length novels, the stories contained in this collection are a nice way to get introduced to their various characters and writing styles. Of course, being that the stories ARE short, they're lacking a little bit of depth, but that's to be expected from such short works.
**I received a free advanced copy, with no compensation, in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
October 27, 2016
Full Metal Magic by J.A. Cipriano, James A. Hunter, Pippa DaCosta, and so many more talented authors....is a book of urban fantasy like no other! Wow, nine stories that had me reading late into the night and I loved it. Each unique story is so interesting that I doubt I could come up with a favorite but.....Ok, I will try. Valentine Blues is my favorite, it is a Yancy Lazarus story so of course I had to read this since I am a big fan of his stories. Yancy goes to a town that has kids that aren't kids. Of course Yancy seems tough but he can't let this go, he has to get the kids back and get rid of the monsters. Great fun. All the stories are like this, great fun! Great book, great job all of you authors!!!
October 20, 2016
I have only read Chase the Dark by Pippa DaCosta and A Drive in the Country by Craig Schaefer so far, and I loved both of them. Riveting and well written. Its amazing how much punch can be packed into a short story.
Chase the Dark is from the Soul Eater series of which I have read the first two books and absolutely loved. Set in a New York where ancient gods roam, Ace is a soul eater who has been kicked out of the underworld and tries to help others in an effort to redeem himself from his past sins. In this novella, Ace's investigation leads him to the sewers which are infested with gators and something much bigger and much more troublesome. This is a fast paced, brilliantly written, action packed, entertaining ride. Ms DaCosta is a gifted writer and brings Ace's world to life. I love the relationship and banter between Shu and Ace, and even though he is far from innocent, I can't help but cheer Ace on and hope that it all works out for him.
“I quit.” I spat mud to the side. “Tomorrow, after I get my sword back.”
“I thought stupid was more of a calling and less of a career choice.”
“Five centuries, Soul Eater.” He said my name with a throaty hiss. “I blunted my claws scratching the name of my enemy into the walls of my little stone cell.”
“What name did you use?” I asked, looking up at the god bearing down on me. “I have a few.”
A Drive in the Country is from the Daniel Faust series (which I haven't read yet). Daniel is a sorcerer who works for the criminal underworld, and in this novella he recounts an ill-fated heist to a condemned man whilst driving him to the site of his impending death. It is a beautifully crafted tale, full of twists, magic, fleshed out characters, witty banter with a surprise ending. I found Daniel a likeable character, and even though he is on the wrong side of the law and has no hesitation in handing out justice to those who betray him, he is loyal to his friends and lives by his own code of honour. I will definitely be giving the series a try.
I will review the other stories as I read them.
Chase the Dark is from the Soul Eater series of which I have read the first two books and absolutely loved. Set in a New York where ancient gods roam, Ace is a soul eater who has been kicked out of the underworld and tries to help others in an effort to redeem himself from his past sins. In this novella, Ace's investigation leads him to the sewers which are infested with gators and something much bigger and much more troublesome. This is a fast paced, brilliantly written, action packed, entertaining ride. Ms DaCosta is a gifted writer and brings Ace's world to life. I love the relationship and banter between Shu and Ace, and even though he is far from innocent, I can't help but cheer Ace on and hope that it all works out for him.
“I quit.” I spat mud to the side. “Tomorrow, after I get my sword back.”
“I thought stupid was more of a calling and less of a career choice.”
“Five centuries, Soul Eater.” He said my name with a throaty hiss. “I blunted my claws scratching the name of my enemy into the walls of my little stone cell.”
“What name did you use?” I asked, looking up at the god bearing down on me. “I have a few.”
A Drive in the Country is from the Daniel Faust series (which I haven't read yet). Daniel is a sorcerer who works for the criminal underworld, and in this novella he recounts an ill-fated heist to a condemned man whilst driving him to the site of his impending death. It is a beautifully crafted tale, full of twists, magic, fleshed out characters, witty banter with a surprise ending. I found Daniel a likeable character, and even though he is on the wrong side of the law and has no hesitation in handing out justice to those who betray him, he is loyal to his friends and lives by his own code of honour. I will definitely be giving the series a try.
I will review the other stories as I read them.
October 20, 2016
An awesome collection of short stories from a talented group of authors. I mainly purchased this anthology because I'm a fan of Pippa Dacosta's Soul Eater series -well, all of her works, really - but there is something for everyone in this novel. Great buy, currently on sale for only 0.99. Go get it while you can:-)
Read
December 31, 2016The supernatural stalk our city streets...
and that's just the good guys.
and that's just the good guys.
September 20, 2020
Stories by Craig Schaefer and Pippa Da Costa were excellent - I also enjoyed James A. Hunter's Valentine Blues and The Black Door, by Domino Finn. The rest were ok, good but not great, with the exception of the opener, The Bull Demon King, by J.A. Cipriano. I genuinely cannot think of a good thing to say about that one.
June 30, 2020
I only read the Craig Schaefer and Pippa DaCosta stories, and those two were fantastic! You can’t go wrong with Daniel Faust and Ace Dante.
April 10, 2017
Read first four stories...The Black Door and Dance of the Dead turned out to be stellar reads! 5 stars for sure ;)...now to keep reading for more gems!
October 19, 2016
>>> Reviewing “The Black Door” by Domino Finn >>>
Cisco Suarez was on a fake date heading to an underground magic club with Rachel. The bouncer asked him his “talent” and he blew on a silent whistle. A pigeon flew to him and landed on his arm – a DEAD pigeon, but still perched there awaiting a command. The bouncer turned to Rachel to see her talent, so she held out her hand to display a black shadow swirling around. It was actually Cisco’s magic, but the bouncer was oblivious. They went inside and made their way through the crowd until a man made a pass at Rachel. He would not take no for an answer and did not let Cisco talk him out of his tough guy moves. He escalated his threat until Cisco’s lack of fear made him back away and run off.
They finally made it to a back patio and Cisco told the bartender that he wanted entrance to the black door semi-hidden along the back fence. Then he asked for Derek which got the bartender’s attention. They were led into The Underground where a dark ritual was taking place. Cisco magically pulled up a shotgun to dispatch Derek but was grabbed by the giant bouncer. He pulled the trigger, the cloaked man collapsed to the floor – and the real Derek, a female in a skirt, stood up from the victim on the floor and approached him! How would they escape now? Who had the greater power to overcome the other?
The book has a very mysterious start, although the suspense starts to build immediately. The action moves between describing Cisco’s route through the club and giving us the gruesome backstory involving Rachel, which was their reason for being here. The reader’s understanding becomes clearer the closer they get to the ritual. I was glad that Cisco was confident and fearless from the start, or my discomfort level might have ratcheted up very quickly. As it is, when he was grabbed by the giant, I was on the edge of my seat! I highly recommend this great, suspenseful story with a shocking ending, one of many in this excellent box set. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
Cisco Suarez was on a fake date heading to an underground magic club with Rachel. The bouncer asked him his “talent” and he blew on a silent whistle. A pigeon flew to him and landed on his arm – a DEAD pigeon, but still perched there awaiting a command. The bouncer turned to Rachel to see her talent, so she held out her hand to display a black shadow swirling around. It was actually Cisco’s magic, but the bouncer was oblivious. They went inside and made their way through the crowd until a man made a pass at Rachel. He would not take no for an answer and did not let Cisco talk him out of his tough guy moves. He escalated his threat until Cisco’s lack of fear made him back away and run off.
They finally made it to a back patio and Cisco told the bartender that he wanted entrance to the black door semi-hidden along the back fence. Then he asked for Derek which got the bartender’s attention. They were led into The Underground where a dark ritual was taking place. Cisco magically pulled up a shotgun to dispatch Derek but was grabbed by the giant bouncer. He pulled the trigger, the cloaked man collapsed to the floor – and the real Derek, a female in a skirt, stood up from the victim on the floor and approached him! How would they escape now? Who had the greater power to overcome the other?
The book has a very mysterious start, although the suspense starts to build immediately. The action moves between describing Cisco’s route through the club and giving us the gruesome backstory involving Rachel, which was their reason for being here. The reader’s understanding becomes clearer the closer they get to the ritual. I was glad that Cisco was confident and fearless from the start, or my discomfort level might have ratcheted up very quickly. As it is, when he was grabbed by the giant, I was on the edge of my seat! I highly recommend this great, suspenseful story with a shocking ending, one of many in this excellent box set. I voluntarily reviewed this book and my comments reflect my honest opinion.
October 20, 2016
I'm leaving my reviews as I read so I will be adding to this review.
5 Stars
The Black Door by Domino Finn
This was such a delightful read. There were a great number of emotions I felt while reading. I want to tell more about it but I don't want to spoil anything. I would've never saw the little twist coming. Very clever Mr Finn! It was also nice to see the bad guys get what was coming to them.
5 Stars
Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta
As always, this author never disappoints. If you've never read any of her books, you don't know what you're missing. She has the super ability to draw you right into the story from the first paragraph. So talented. These were a cast of scary characters. I loved It! And the world. Just imagine being in the sewers under New York with a massive magical crocodile lurking around somewhere. But that's not all Ace has to worry about. Old secrets and actions have come back to bite him in the butt, maybe literally this time.
5 Stars
Dance of the Dead by Sonya Bateman
Wow! I loved this book. I bought the first one in the series a long time ago but never had a chance to read it. After this one, I'm moving it up on my TBR list. I loved these characters. They were well developed. I especially liked Abe. This was a great concept for a book! (And no, I'm not related to the author) or I don't think I am. Lol. Wish I was, I would try to bribe her out of revealing stories she hasn't written yet.
5 Stars
The Black Door by Domino Finn
This was such a delightful read. There were a great number of emotions I felt while reading. I want to tell more about it but I don't want to spoil anything. I would've never saw the little twist coming. Very clever Mr Finn! It was also nice to see the bad guys get what was coming to them.
5 Stars
Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta
As always, this author never disappoints. If you've never read any of her books, you don't know what you're missing. She has the super ability to draw you right into the story from the first paragraph. So talented. These were a cast of scary characters. I loved It! And the world. Just imagine being in the sewers under New York with a massive magical crocodile lurking around somewhere. But that's not all Ace has to worry about. Old secrets and actions have come back to bite him in the butt, maybe literally this time.
5 Stars
Dance of the Dead by Sonya Bateman
Wow! I loved this book. I bought the first one in the series a long time ago but never had a chance to read it. After this one, I'm moving it up on my TBR list. I loved these characters. They were well developed. I especially liked Abe. This was a great concept for a book! (And no, I'm not related to the author) or I don't think I am. Lol. Wish I was, I would try to bribe her out of revealing stories she hasn't written yet.
October 21, 2016
Full Metal Magic is a collection of nine series based urban fantasy short stories. As a girl who must read a series in order, there were only two stories in this collection I read, FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell and CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta.
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell
I chose Family Business because it was the first in the series and a great way for me to try out new-to-me author Rob Cornell. This little story about a twenty-five year old sorcerer with freshly printed demon hunter license burning a hole in his pocket was a fun, yet surprisingly touching read. While working his first case for the Ministry hunting a goblin, Sebastian must make some tough decisions regarding his work, himself, his family and his future. I definitely will look at more work by this author.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta
I’ve read all of the Ace Dante series thus far and loved every one. So, Ace Dante vs. the mythical sewer gator of NY? Count me in! Of course it’s not an “actual” gator, it’s the God Sobek with a score to settle with the Nameless One. And let’s just say Sobek’s not playing with a full deck, if you catch my meaning. But really, what’s not to love about a vengeful nutjob/gator God loose on NY with Ace and Shu wading to their rescue? Loved this one. My only complaint is it’s not longer. ;)
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell
I chose Family Business because it was the first in the series and a great way for me to try out new-to-me author Rob Cornell. This little story about a twenty-five year old sorcerer with freshly printed demon hunter license burning a hole in his pocket was a fun, yet surprisingly touching read. While working his first case for the Ministry hunting a goblin, Sebastian must make some tough decisions regarding his work, himself, his family and his future. I definitely will look at more work by this author.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta
I’ve read all of the Ace Dante series thus far and loved every one. So, Ace Dante vs. the mythical sewer gator of NY? Count me in! Of course it’s not an “actual” gator, it’s the God Sobek with a score to settle with the Nameless One. And let’s just say Sobek’s not playing with a full deck, if you catch my meaning. But really, what’s not to love about a vengeful nutjob/gator God loose on NY with Ace and Shu wading to their rescue? Loved this one. My only complaint is it’s not longer. ;)
October 7, 2016
While I am not a fan of inter-series shorts, I have to say this is a solid collection. Of course, I was so jazzed that I was about to read another Pippa DaCosta Ace Dante story that I closed all the windows, battened down the hatches, turned off all social media, and tucked myself in my favorite comforter for a great read.
My only disappointment to this addition to the Soul Eater series was that it was simply too dang short! I loved it! Took me all of 30min to devour her latest. So then I consented to read the rest of the e book.
This is a collection of rather humorous short stories in the urban fantasy realm. I actually choked on my tea a few times from the humor. I will update this review with some of the quotes and such taken from the shorts after the book becomes available.
However, for now it should be enough to say that I am now reading bk 1 in the Daniel Faust series by Craig Schaefer!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My only disappointment to this addition to the Soul Eater series was that it was simply too dang short! I loved it! Took me all of 30min to devour her latest. So then I consented to read the rest of the e book.
This is a collection of rather humorous short stories in the urban fantasy realm. I actually choked on my tea a few times from the humor. I will update this review with some of the quotes and such taken from the shorts after the book becomes available.
However, for now it should be enough to say that I am now reading bk 1 in the Daniel Faust series by Craig Schaefer!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2016
Very interesting selection of stories! I will have to say Pippa DaCosta is one of my favorite authors and I love Ace Dante series. The stories were well written and I even got a few chuckles out of some of them. There are nine stories in this book. The stories range from action to those with a different ending which was not expected. Going into detail is not an option for me because the synopsis at the beginning of the book covers it, but I now have some new writers to follow. Note: I was given a free copy of the book for an honest review.
October 7, 2016
I received free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Full Metal Magic is a collection of short UF stories from different authors. One of the stories, Chase the Dark, is by Pippa Dacosta from her Ace Dante series. I love Ace Dante and I like everything Pippa writes so Chase the Dark was a great treat for me while I wait for the next installment of Soul Eater. I haven't read all nine stories yet and I am looking forward to reading them all and discovering new authors.
November 15, 2016
I was clued in to this anthology by a mention in J.A. Cipriano's newsletter, which is worth subscribing to (hey, the man sends you free reads, and they're good!). Anyway, Cipriano and company are all dark urban fantasy authors who have written these stories specifically for this volume, so you won't find them anywhere else. The book is available via the Kindle Unlimited program. In fact, every related book that I checked on is available that way, so I'm wondering if this thing was sponsored by Amazon or something. If so, why doesn't it say so? Anyway, on to the review.
"The Bull Demon King" is Cipriano's story, set in the Thrice-Cursed Mage universe. You don't need to have read those books to appreciate the story, and it serves as a nice little introduction if you're curious about the series (I've really enjoyed them). I think the story is set between the second and third books, but I won't swear to that and it isn't vital. We get to attend the Texas state fair with assassin mage Mac Brennan and his girlfriend Ricky, the local alpha werewolf. Of course, mayhem ensues, because that's Mac's lot in life - and what kind of story would we have otherwise?
Domino Finn contributes "The Black Door" which is noted as "A Black Magic Outlaw Story." This story had me guessing right up until the end, which was delightful. The writing is wonderful, the world of an alternate magical Miami nightlife is very fully realized, and central character, Cisco Suarez, is extremely well drawn. I will be pointing my partner to Finn's work, for sure (he loves the macabre), but I think it may be a little too dark for me.
On to Manhattan for our next piece, "Dance of the Dead," which Sonya Bateman tells us is a "Deathspeaker Codex Short Story." It takes place just after the events of the first novel in that series, according to the author' note. Gideon Black drives bodies from crime scenes and the like to the morgue. Apparently he's not 100% human, and he's just learned that he can speak to the dead. That's very important to the plot. For some reason this story didn't grab me. I don't relate well to stories that deal with the dead, like zombies and so on, so it's probably a failure of imagination on my fault rather than anything wrong with Bateman's story. If I find something she writes in another setting, I will give her another go.
Ambrose Ibsen offers up "Hard Row: A Demon-Hearted Story" for the collection. Lucian Colt works with other special enforcers to keep the threats from Beyond from encroaching on the mundane world of Detroit, and when he learns that there's a shipment of kidnapped children being moved, he's definitely down for tracking down the bad guys behind the trade. The fallen angel whose heart he carries is just glad to get a chance to throw down. The gimmick doesn't really carry the story here. It feels like Colt is too overpowered in comparison to his allies, as if they are a mismatched RPG party.
Okay, I'll admit it: Al K. Line's name just annoyed me. So I had to get past that to give "Angry Spark," set in his Dark Magic Enforcer world, a fair reading. Then the use name of the main character, "Black Spark," hit me wrong. The guy's real name is Faz Pound, but obviously magic men don't go about giving their real names to all and sundry, hence the use name. Then I didn't like the remarks about a corpulent character. So I finally just decided to leave off on this story. Maybe someone else can give you a review of it.
Rob Cornell's "Family Business," which is apparently a prequel set in his Unturned series' universe, is set in another alternate Detroit. Fortunately nothing annoyed me about this one, so I was able to read it. It's a wee bit hackneyed, but a bit sweet, too. It's sort of like when you hear a song and you know how the melody is going to go because the chords and the melody progression already feel familiar. I might check out more of Cornell's work, but it won't be at the top of my to-read list.
On the other hand, "Valentine Blues" left me truly hungry for more of James A. Hunter's work, and wanting to read more about Yancy Lazarus right now. This minute. Not soon, NOW. Lazarus is a traveling blues man with some interesting talents who takes an interest in the very strange behavior of the young people in Valentine, Nebraska. You can find the most interesting things on the road! I will most definitely be reading Strange Magic: A Yancy Lazarus Novel, the first book in this series, SOON.
I know that I've read something about Craig Schaefer's Daniel Faust series somewhere before, but I've never actually read any OF the series until "A Drive in the Country." It's set in and around Las Vegas. I have no idea where in the timeline of the series this particular story is set, but it's well-written. It pulls you into the gritty, noir world of gangsters plus magic and makes you feel the dark. If that's your thing, Schaefer's your man.
New York is the setting for Pippa DaCosta's "Chase the Dark," set in the world of her Soul Eater series. I am highly intrigued, as I don't believe I've ever run into an urban fantasy series that draws upon Egyptian mythology the way DaCosta is here. The name of the main character, though, Ace Dante? Even though it's obviously an assumed name, it's terrible. I hate it. I'm jarred every single time my eyes come across it on the page. It kept pulling me out of what was otherwise a really good story, and is making me wonder whether or not I can handle reading Hidden Blade, the first book in the series.
Now that I'm finished with the book, I can't help but notice a few things. There wasn't a single main character that was female, and while it's possible that Cisco Suarez is a person of color, his cultural background wasn't made clear in Finn's story. If any of the other protagonists were POC, that wasn't obvious (I'm not sure what to consider "Ace Dante.") I'm pretty sure all these men were cisgendered and heterosexual, as well. I don't think it's too much to ask that there's a little more diversity in such a volume.
All in all, a decent collection of stories and a nice introduction to some new authors, but a disappointment in some important respects.
"The Bull Demon King" is Cipriano's story, set in the Thrice-Cursed Mage universe. You don't need to have read those books to appreciate the story, and it serves as a nice little introduction if you're curious about the series (I've really enjoyed them). I think the story is set between the second and third books, but I won't swear to that and it isn't vital. We get to attend the Texas state fair with assassin mage Mac Brennan and his girlfriend Ricky, the local alpha werewolf. Of course, mayhem ensues, because that's Mac's lot in life - and what kind of story would we have otherwise?
Domino Finn contributes "The Black Door" which is noted as "A Black Magic Outlaw Story." This story had me guessing right up until the end, which was delightful. The writing is wonderful, the world of an alternate magical Miami nightlife is very fully realized, and central character, Cisco Suarez, is extremely well drawn. I will be pointing my partner to Finn's work, for sure (he loves the macabre), but I think it may be a little too dark for me.
On to Manhattan for our next piece, "Dance of the Dead," which Sonya Bateman tells us is a "Deathspeaker Codex Short Story." It takes place just after the events of the first novel in that series, according to the author' note. Gideon Black drives bodies from crime scenes and the like to the morgue. Apparently he's not 100% human, and he's just learned that he can speak to the dead. That's very important to the plot. For some reason this story didn't grab me. I don't relate well to stories that deal with the dead, like zombies and so on, so it's probably a failure of imagination on my fault rather than anything wrong with Bateman's story. If I find something she writes in another setting, I will give her another go.
Ambrose Ibsen offers up "Hard Row: A Demon-Hearted Story" for the collection. Lucian Colt works with other special enforcers to keep the threats from Beyond from encroaching on the mundane world of Detroit, and when he learns that there's a shipment of kidnapped children being moved, he's definitely down for tracking down the bad guys behind the trade. The fallen angel whose heart he carries is just glad to get a chance to throw down. The gimmick doesn't really carry the story here. It feels like Colt is too overpowered in comparison to his allies, as if they are a mismatched RPG party.
Okay, I'll admit it: Al K. Line's name just annoyed me. So I had to get past that to give "Angry Spark," set in his Dark Magic Enforcer world, a fair reading. Then the use name of the main character, "Black Spark," hit me wrong. The guy's real name is Faz Pound, but obviously magic men don't go about giving their real names to all and sundry, hence the use name. Then I didn't like the remarks about a corpulent character. So I finally just decided to leave off on this story. Maybe someone else can give you a review of it.
Rob Cornell's "Family Business," which is apparently a prequel set in his Unturned series' universe, is set in another alternate Detroit. Fortunately nothing annoyed me about this one, so I was able to read it. It's a wee bit hackneyed, but a bit sweet, too. It's sort of like when you hear a song and you know how the melody is going to go because the chords and the melody progression already feel familiar. I might check out more of Cornell's work, but it won't be at the top of my to-read list.
On the other hand, "Valentine Blues" left me truly hungry for more of James A. Hunter's work, and wanting to read more about Yancy Lazarus right now. This minute. Not soon, NOW. Lazarus is a traveling blues man with some interesting talents who takes an interest in the very strange behavior of the young people in Valentine, Nebraska. You can find the most interesting things on the road! I will most definitely be reading Strange Magic: A Yancy Lazarus Novel, the first book in this series, SOON.
I know that I've read something about Craig Schaefer's Daniel Faust series somewhere before, but I've never actually read any OF the series until "A Drive in the Country." It's set in and around Las Vegas. I have no idea where in the timeline of the series this particular story is set, but it's well-written. It pulls you into the gritty, noir world of gangsters plus magic and makes you feel the dark. If that's your thing, Schaefer's your man.
New York is the setting for Pippa DaCosta's "Chase the Dark," set in the world of her Soul Eater series. I am highly intrigued, as I don't believe I've ever run into an urban fantasy series that draws upon Egyptian mythology the way DaCosta is here. The name of the main character, though, Ace Dante? Even though it's obviously an assumed name, it's terrible. I hate it. I'm jarred every single time my eyes come across it on the page. It kept pulling me out of what was otherwise a really good story, and is making me wonder whether or not I can handle reading Hidden Blade, the first book in the series.
Now that I'm finished with the book, I can't help but notice a few things. There wasn't a single main character that was female, and while it's possible that Cisco Suarez is a person of color, his cultural background wasn't made clear in Finn's story. If any of the other protagonists were POC, that wasn't obvious (I'm not sure what to consider "Ace Dante.") I'm pretty sure all these men were cisgendered and heterosexual, as well. I don't think it's too much to ask that there's a little more diversity in such a volume.
All in all, a decent collection of stories and a nice introduction to some new authors, but a disappointment in some important respects.
June 8, 2017
In the short story of Daniel Faust, A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY, Faust is driving a condemned man to his death. While driving Faust is telling us a story about his first crew which got killed in the past. Truth is you can't outrun the past, but revenge it.
November 1, 2019
The only reason this anthology got three stars from me was Craig Schaefer's outstanding short story, "A Drive in the Country." Three of the other shorts were decent. The others were not. Overall, a fairly disappointing anthology.
August 6, 2022
Some very good introductions and short stories in this! Time to start looking into some new authors.
March 8, 2023
5 stars to Craig Schaefer's A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY.
Bookmarking for later perusal of other stories.
Bookmarking for later perusal of other stories.
January 15, 2017
So many great stories and authors that were new to me.
October 19, 2016
Where to start, so I'll just mention in the order presented. A bundle of short stories from a bundle of great authors, a must read!
The Bull Demon King by J.A.
Cipriano
It's not just their fries that are a little cheesy!!
The author obviously likes films or at least referring to them in his writings.
I nearly gave up on this one but was intrigued to see what other films might be in his collection .....
some being,
(Baby Gru in) The Minions, Crouching Tiger, Star Trek, Reed Richards - (fortunately I realised this to be Mr Fantastic, the founding member of the Fantastic Four), Bugsy Malone, Crocodile Dundee, Independence Day, Mike Tyson (not a film, I know), Hello Kitty.
This is a story I won't easily forget but not necessarily for the right reasons.
I have many more books by this author so I decided to read another of his short stories - Alone in the Dark, before crossing them off my reading list. What a contrast, I much preferred this one and am now looking forward to reading more by this author.
The Black Door by Domino Finn
I first met Cisco Suarez in Dead Man (book 1 of Black Magic Outlaw - fab book) and just love this character.
Didn't disappoint in this short story where there's lots of action and excitement beyond the Black Door .......
Dance of the Dead by Sonya Bateman
I really enjoyed my introduction to Gideon Black, part unseelie fae, the one and only DeathSpeaker. This is a great short story which kept me turning the pages. It was creepy that I read it so close to Halloween, the deadline for saving the world. (Or, perhaps this was planned for the timing of the book's release)
I'm now enjoying Wrong Side of Hell, book 1 of the DeathSpeaker Codex (which starts before this short story but doesn't spoil it in any way).
Hard Row by Ambrose Ibsen
Lucian (murdered by witches but given life and powers when he received a demon heart), Joe, Chief Kubo and Ernie (a ghost who is happy to assist in return for a bit of silver) make a good team. They fight stone gargoyles and track down the werewolf Kaminsky brothers and shut down their human trafficking operation.
Angry Spark by Al K Line
I agree with Faz, if an old 'buddy' (vampire or not) rings in the middle of the night asking for a favor, just hang up.
ARMageddon does sound fun though.
Family Business by Rob Cornell
I loved this story.
Bounty Hunter, turned saviour with the help of his grandpa.
I intend to read more about Sebastian.
Valentine Blues by James A Hunter
Tragic events befell upon the town of Valentine and its residents but with the help of Lazarus, the Pied Piper was defeated and the children saved.
Great story, I'd now like to follow Lazarus onto his next 'adventure'.
A Drive in the Country by Craig Schaefer
Great story with a welcome twist.
The kid is given a second chance and hopefully will learn by Louie's mistakes whilst Dan lives with his ghosts!
Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta
Sorry, this was my least favourite. To be fair, I kept getting interrupted as I was minding my 17 month old grandson, so perhaps I need to re-read it.
The Bull Demon King by J.A.
Cipriano
It's not just their fries that are a little cheesy!!
The author obviously likes films or at least referring to them in his writings.
I nearly gave up on this one but was intrigued to see what other films might be in his collection .....
some being,
(Baby Gru in) The Minions, Crouching Tiger, Star Trek, Reed Richards - (fortunately I realised this to be Mr Fantastic, the founding member of the Fantastic Four), Bugsy Malone, Crocodile Dundee, Independence Day, Mike Tyson (not a film, I know), Hello Kitty.
This is a story I won't easily forget but not necessarily for the right reasons.
I have many more books by this author so I decided to read another of his short stories - Alone in the Dark, before crossing them off my reading list. What a contrast, I much preferred this one and am now looking forward to reading more by this author.
The Black Door by Domino Finn
I first met Cisco Suarez in Dead Man (book 1 of Black Magic Outlaw - fab book) and just love this character.
Didn't disappoint in this short story where there's lots of action and excitement beyond the Black Door .......
Dance of the Dead by Sonya Bateman
I really enjoyed my introduction to Gideon Black, part unseelie fae, the one and only DeathSpeaker. This is a great short story which kept me turning the pages. It was creepy that I read it so close to Halloween, the deadline for saving the world. (Or, perhaps this was planned for the timing of the book's release)
I'm now enjoying Wrong Side of Hell, book 1 of the DeathSpeaker Codex (which starts before this short story but doesn't spoil it in any way).
Hard Row by Ambrose Ibsen
Lucian (murdered by witches but given life and powers when he received a demon heart), Joe, Chief Kubo and Ernie (a ghost who is happy to assist in return for a bit of silver) make a good team. They fight stone gargoyles and track down the werewolf Kaminsky brothers and shut down their human trafficking operation.
Angry Spark by Al K Line
I agree with Faz, if an old 'buddy' (vampire or not) rings in the middle of the night asking for a favor, just hang up.
ARMageddon does sound fun though.
Family Business by Rob Cornell
I loved this story.
Bounty Hunter, turned saviour with the help of his grandpa.
I intend to read more about Sebastian.
Valentine Blues by James A Hunter
Tragic events befell upon the town of Valentine and its residents but with the help of Lazarus, the Pied Piper was defeated and the children saved.
Great story, I'd now like to follow Lazarus onto his next 'adventure'.
A Drive in the Country by Craig Schaefer
Great story with a welcome twist.
The kid is given a second chance and hopefully will learn by Louie's mistakes whilst Dan lives with his ghosts!
Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta
Sorry, this was my least favourite. To be fair, I kept getting interrupted as I was minding my 17 month old grandson, so perhaps I need to re-read it.
February 21, 2017
Nothing special
I like short story collections as they help me find new writers. These stories are very derivative so I was left feeling I had read much better versions by established authers. Strangely, the majority of the protagonists reminded me of the old hard boiled detective stories. You know, dumb smart mouth dialogue in a totally unbelievable story line. Oh well, maybe next time.
I like short story collections as they help me find new writers. These stories are very derivative so I was left feeling I had read much better versions by established authers. Strangely, the majority of the protagonists reminded me of the old hard boiled detective stories. You know, dumb smart mouth dialogue in a totally unbelievable story line. Oh well, maybe next time.
October 20, 2016
I received an early editon in exchange for an honest review and let me just say that I utterly adored this anthology. (Though my sister's computer leaves a lot to be desired, but at least we have power here after Hurricane Matthew.) Anyway, I already read all of these authors and to see them in a collection was great news. I truly enjoyed reading the small snippets and adventures that give a bit more detail & depth to the individual characters. You can read the descriptions elsewhere, but I strongly recommend that you try this anthology to get an idea of why these authors are all good writers and deserve more support.So BUY THIS!
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - This short story made me laugh because it was the sort of date from hell that works out, but you know they just want a "normal" date.
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - I admit that I was hesitant about this series, but now? I can't get enough of it. I like how they are not hero's, bad guys or even good guys. They are honorable and live by a code, but they are all people trying to live with their choices. This short perfectly shows this.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - I like the snarkiness of these characters.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen -I like the main character but I had personal issues with the plot line.
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - I laughed and laughed at the ending of this
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Great short story and really cant wait for more
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - Probably my favorite author, but that could be because he was the first I started reading. I just like this series and am invested in this story.
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - Another series I enjoy because these are people.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - I enjoy this but I have a rough time understanding the personalities, motivations, etc. of the characters.
THE BULL DEMON KING by J.A. Cipriano - This short story made me laugh because it was the sort of date from hell that works out, but you know they just want a "normal" date.
THE BLACK DOOR by Domino Finn - I admit that I was hesitant about this series, but now? I can't get enough of it. I like how they are not hero's, bad guys or even good guys. They are honorable and live by a code, but they are all people trying to live with their choices. This short perfectly shows this.
DANCE OF THE DEAD by Sonya Bateman - I like the snarkiness of these characters.
HARD ROW by Ambrose Ibsen -I like the main character but I had personal issues with the plot line.
ANGRY SPARK by Al K. Line - I laughed and laughed at the ending of this
FAMILY BUSINESS by Rob Cornell - Great short story and really cant wait for more
VALENTINE BLUES by James A. Hunter - Probably my favorite author, but that could be because he was the first I started reading. I just like this series and am invested in this story.
A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY by Craig Schaefer - Another series I enjoy because these are people.
CHASE THE DARK by Pippa DaCosta - I enjoy this but I have a rough time understanding the personalities, motivations, etc. of the characters.
October 29, 2016
This is a collection of magically inclined short stories, which would be great if you had a short period to fill in and want something short and finalized.
I have read the following, and hope to read the rest, commitments not with standing.
The Bull Demon King J. A. Cipriano
An amusing short story when Mac Brennan is out on a date to the local fair, when his Werewolf girlfriend is alerted that one of her pack members had been kidnapped and taken into the "funhouse".
Both girlfriend and Max take a fighting stance and a battle ensures. A good short story.
The Black Door - Domino Finn
Entering a night club, where you have to have magical talent to gain entry, Cisco Suarez and his "date" Rachel, move through the club with only minor disturbance, to reach the 'Black Door', where they seek admittance, looking for Derek.
Black Magic being performed is what they have come seeking. Why?? Well that's given the story away. Interesting story line.
Dance of the Dead - Sonya Bateman
This story is from the series The Death Speaker Codex series. The main character, Gideon, had found earlier, in another book, that he was part Fae and that dead people could not lie to him.
In this short story, he gets caught up in a plot by a necromancer to release a Demon, and take over the world. Gideon is the only living human that can prevent the madman from his plan.
Entertaining, with a garish sense of humor.
Angry Spark - A1 K Line
When an old friend calls in an eighty year old favor, in the middle of the night, you get out of your nice warm bed and go, to help a friend. Even if the friend is an eight hundred year old vampire.
You do what you can to repay the favor owed, even if it almost gets you killed.
Old World meets new techno virtual world stuff. Loved it!!!
I have read the following, and hope to read the rest, commitments not with standing.
The Bull Demon King J. A. Cipriano
An amusing short story when Mac Brennan is out on a date to the local fair, when his Werewolf girlfriend is alerted that one of her pack members had been kidnapped and taken into the "funhouse".
Both girlfriend and Max take a fighting stance and a battle ensures. A good short story.
The Black Door - Domino Finn
Entering a night club, where you have to have magical talent to gain entry, Cisco Suarez and his "date" Rachel, move through the club with only minor disturbance, to reach the 'Black Door', where they seek admittance, looking for Derek.
Black Magic being performed is what they have come seeking. Why?? Well that's given the story away. Interesting story line.
Dance of the Dead - Sonya Bateman
This story is from the series The Death Speaker Codex series. The main character, Gideon, had found earlier, in another book, that he was part Fae and that dead people could not lie to him.
In this short story, he gets caught up in a plot by a necromancer to release a Demon, and take over the world. Gideon is the only living human that can prevent the madman from his plan.
Entertaining, with a garish sense of humor.
Angry Spark - A1 K Line
When an old friend calls in an eighty year old favor, in the middle of the night, you get out of your nice warm bed and go, to help a friend. Even if the friend is an eight hundred year old vampire.
You do what you can to repay the favor owed, even if it almost gets you killed.
Old World meets new techno virtual world stuff. Loved it!!!
October 19, 2016
Urban fantasy has been my favorite genre for many years now, and as the publishing industry has changed, I’ve had to change the way I find new authors in this genre. Full Metal Magic is one such way to fit that bill for others in the same boat. To be fair, I had already read four of the nine authors and was excited to read the other five, hoping to find even more authors to read. Wow! After reading these stories, my TBR pile is so vast, I’ll never catch up. This collection is filled with wonderful writing, excellent plots, and great characters. One story even made me cry at the end. Who would have thought an urban fantasy story would bring a reader to tears? If you’ve even thought about reading any of these authors, pick up this collection and give them all a try because every single one was spectacular. If you are wondering why I didn’t review them individually, I have to state for the record I don’t like to rate individual stories by themselves in a box set. People might think since one story wasn’t good, they shouldn’t get the whole collection and most collections don’t deserve that. With full disclosure, however, I was impressed with every single story. I would rate every story at least a 4 ½ and that by itself says something. So, do yourself a favor, and get this set. It is more than worth the price and the time you will read it. Highly recommend!
This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.
This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.
October 19, 2016
What a collection of wonderful stories. Action packed, emotionally touching and full of suspense. These authors made a wonderful collection for anyone who is looking for some action. Fallow the paranormal worlds of these characters as they try to stay alive.
I loved every story. I think my absolute favorites were The Black Door- By Domino Finn - magically inclined with twists and turns and full of suspense. Angry Spark- by Al K Line- Friends can't always be trusted, especially mobster Vampires who are dying. This was all action. loved it. Valentine Blues- By James A. Hunter - A town that is empty of people may be normal for abandoned towns, but its not when all the kids have been possessed by the Pied Piper. Then it's just survival while trying to save the kids. And last but certainly not least, Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta - Crocodiles are scary as is. Add in Egyptian Gods and it gets a lot worse. Ace runs into someone from his past. Full of action and turmoil.
I loved every story. I think my absolute favorites were The Black Door- By Domino Finn - magically inclined with twists and turns and full of suspense. Angry Spark- by Al K Line- Friends can't always be trusted, especially mobster Vampires who are dying. This was all action. loved it. Valentine Blues- By James A. Hunter - A town that is empty of people may be normal for abandoned towns, but its not when all the kids have been possessed by the Pied Piper. Then it's just survival while trying to save the kids. And last but certainly not least, Chase the Dark by Pippa Dacosta - Crocodiles are scary as is. Add in Egyptian Gods and it gets a lot worse. Ace runs into someone from his past. Full of action and turmoil.
October 20, 2016
This is a fantastic anthology, one of the best I've read this year.
I am a fan of two of the authors and their stories here are very well written, exciting, and I LOVE the main characters Cisco Suarez and Daniel Faust. So, take a bow Domino Finn and Craig Schaefer for 'The Black Door' and 'A Drive in the Country'. Excellent tales.
The other authors I am aware of but, embarrassingly, have never read anything by them. After reading these strong, fun stories, I have joined their mailing lists. I imagine all the authors' mailing lists will be absolutely bulging in the near future as a result of this book. Quite rightly so.
There's nothing else to say except, "Just buy this"! There's not a duffer amongst them - which is very unusual for an anthology. You will 'zoom' through these and be left wanting to read more.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.
I am a fan of two of the authors and their stories here are very well written, exciting, and I LOVE the main characters Cisco Suarez and Daniel Faust. So, take a bow Domino Finn and Craig Schaefer for 'The Black Door' and 'A Drive in the Country'. Excellent tales.
The other authors I am aware of but, embarrassingly, have never read anything by them. After reading these strong, fun stories, I have joined their mailing lists. I imagine all the authors' mailing lists will be absolutely bulging in the near future as a result of this book. Quite rightly so.
There's nothing else to say except, "Just buy this"! There's not a duffer amongst them - which is very unusual for an anthology. You will 'zoom' through these and be left wanting to read more.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.
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